The three principal equipments of a Chinese
Teng Pai Shou (藤牌手, rattan shieldman) are his Teng Pai (藤牌) shield, his Yao Dao (腰刀) sword, and his Biao Qiang (鏢鎗) javelin.
Teng Pai (藤牌, lit. 'Rattan shield')
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| Drawing of a Teng Pai, from 'Ji Xiao Xin Shu (《紀效新書》)'. |
Originated from Fujian province, the Teng Pai was one of the more common shield types used by the Ming army. Rattan/wisteria shield outperforms wooden shield in almost every conceivable way—it was cheaper, lighter, more flexible, and sturdier than wooden shield, plus it did not splinter nor split along the grain (as rattan has no wood grain). However, rattan cannot grow in North China (which is colder and drier), so Ming troops from that region had to settle for
Tuan Pai (團牌, lit. 'Round shield'), a variant made from woven wicker and covered with leather or rawhide.
The average size of a Ming period rattan shield was two
chi five
cun to three
chi in diameter. Chinese rattan shield usually did not feature metal shield boss (although exceptions existed), unlike similar shields in Xizang and Southeast Asia region.
Yao Dao (腰刀, lit. 'Waist sabre')
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| A Yao Dao and scabbard, from 'Ji Xiao Xin Shu (《紀效新書》)'. |
Yao Dao was a generic name for one-handed Chinese
sabre normally used in conjunction with a rattan shield.
Biao Qiang (鏢鎗, lit. 'Javelin')
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| Drawing of a Biao Qiang, from 'Ji Xiao Xin Shu (《紀效新書》)'. |
Also known as
Fei Biao (飛鏢, lit. 'Flying dart'), Biao Qiang was a type of light javelin. Its primary purpose was to distract the enemy, although it could still be lethal if it hit an unprotected vital spot.
